Tibet.

Chapter 1401 Prepare for a rainy day
After returning from the Central Plains, Li Ye seemed to have countless locusts flying in his mind.

The next morning, Wei Jiansu and Zhang Lite came to meet the emperor.

Li Ye asked the two to sit down. Wei Jiansu saw the worry in the emperor's eyes and asked, "What are you worried about, Your Majesty?"

Li Ye sighed and said, "I am worried about food. All the stored food in Longyou has been used for disaster relief. If the harvest in Longyou is not good this year, what will the army do? We can only transfer food from Guanzhong. The food in Guanzhong is not enough, and we have to transfer food from Jiangnan and other places. If the disaster in the Central Plains continues into autumn, the autumn harvest will be over. How can we feed these one million disaster victims? I am worried!"

Zhang Li bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the Ministry of Revenue has proposed a diversion plan to transfer some people from the Central Plains to Hebei. There is a lot of land in Hebei, and they can plant a season of beans in time."

Li Ye shook his head. "How many beans can there be in one season? I am worried that once the people leave their hometowns, there will be no one to fight against the floods. I think it is best to let the people stay in their homes to prepare for flood control, especially the Yellow River. I am worried that the Yellow River will change its course this year."

Wei Jiansu and Zhang Li fully understood the emperor's concerns. The Yellow River has always been a major problem in all dynasties. They were not afraid that the Yellow River would drown the people, but that the Yellow River would form a flood zone, which would mean decades of decline. Moreover, all of them were in the wealthy Central Plains and Hebei regions. How many people would be affected? It was like an unhealable scar on the dynasty and would always be the dynasty's sorrow.

But the change of the Yellow River's course cannot be changed by human power, it even depends on God's will.

At this time, Wei Jiansu and Zhang Li finally understood the emperor's worries. A long drought will be followed by a long rain. Once the Yellow River is flooded and changes its course, forming a thousand-mile flooding area, that will be a problem for the lower reaches of the Yellow River. The current drought is in the middle reaches of the Yellow River. It is very likely that this year the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River will suffer from major disasters at the same time, which will be a disaster for any dynasty.

Wei Jiansu pondered for a moment and said, "Your Majesty has thought of this possibility. This is our advantage. We must seize the time and prepare as soon as possible!"

Li Ye walked a few steps with his hands behind his back and said, "I have a rough plan. The two prime ministers can refer to it for me."

"Your Majesty, please speak!"

Li Ye said slowly: "The first step is to accumulate food. We can buy it overseas or collect it from the grasslands. The second step is to send 100,000 troops to the lower reaches of the Yellow River. They are not there for disaster relief. Once there are signs of heavy rain in the middle reaches, the people in the lower reaches will be immediately transferred to the south. The third step is to find a new home for the people in the flooded areas. I am considering Hetao and Liaodong."

Zhang Li added: "If the Yellow River had not burst its banks and changed its course, wouldn't it be a waste of money and effort for us to make so many preparations?"

Li Ye shook his head. "It's just about making various early warning plans, and letting the government and people in the lower reaches of the Yellow River have a sense of crisis. Let the local government find evacuation sites in advance, let the people gather their property and food, and the court should prepare various food supplies, and store a large amount of food and grass supplies, such as tents and rafts, in the Shandong Peninsula where the Yellow River is unlikely to flood."

Wei Jiansu smiled and said, "Prepare for a rainy day. I think it's feasible!"

Li Ye was silent for a moment and then said, "I am considering destroying the Jinshan Karluk. I can get 13 million sheep and a million cattle and horses, and at the same time eliminate the threat from Beiting. Then I can sell the Karluk population and land to Sijie, and get millions of sheep. Then I can build our animal husbandry center in the Yili River Valley, and then use the winter to continuously send mutton from the Western Regions, which is also food."

Wei Jiansu and Zhang Li looked at each other, and they suddenly realized that the emperor's anxiety about food shortage had prompted him to plan to attack the nomadic peoples on the grassland.

The two stood up to say goodbye. At this time, Wei Jiansu suddenly remembered something and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, the young ladies who went to study abroad are back!"

Li Ye was overjoyed and asked quickly, "When did you come back?"

"Just arrived! I guess your majesty's three princesses have already returned home."

Seeing that it was already noon, Li Ye ordered, "Go back to the palace!"

Li Ye's queen Dugu Xinyue gave birth to a baby girl safely last month, giving Li Ye another daughter and the Tang Dynasty another princess.

Dugu Xinyue’s confinement period is almost over, and her living room is gradually returning to normal.

At this time, the living room in her bedroom was full of people, including Dugu Xinyue, Yang Yuhuan, Liu Qingyu and their mother-in-law Pei Sanniang. Pei Sanniang also came back last month and just in time for the birth of her new granddaughter.

The new granddaughter's nickname was A Jiao, which was given by Pei Sanniang because Dugu Xinyue dreamed of a banana tree the night before she gave birth.

Sitting next to Pei Sanniang was her beloved grandson, Crown Prince Li Tan. Li Tan also went to study and suffered a lot. He became dark and thin. Of course, his classmates were all the same.

Pei Sanniang felt sorry for her grandson and scolded Li Ye severely, almost beating him with her shoe soles. She even scolded Mu Da Niang, saying that she chanted Buddhist scriptures all day long and ignored her own little grandson.

But the trip was indeed beneficial. Li Tan became more sensible and calm, and he also wrote a 20,000-word "Investigation Report on the People's Conditions in Helong".

But the protagonists now are three young ladies, the eldest princess Xingsha, the second princess Yaoguang and the third princess Qiuhe. They have just returned and are excitedly telling about what they have seen and heard. The room is full of chatter and is particularly lively.

They also brought back a large number of gifts, including bamboo products from Qiupu, cosmetics from Yangzhou, round fans and palace lanterns from Suzhou, and the four treasures of the study from Hangzhou. They spent several hundred strings of cash and everyone got something.

When he came back, he bought a set of bamboo-carved mahjong for his grandmother in Qiupu, a bamboo-carved pen holder for his grandfather, and even a bamboo-carved wooden fish and bamboo stick for Aunt Mu, and a bamboo pillow for his father.

Although it didn't cost much, the elders were very happy and touched by the thought. "It's not tiring at all on the boat, mom. The boat is so big. It's a six-story building. We live on the rooftop, and everyone's room can see outside."

"Did you go hiking?" Dugu Xinyue asked with a smile.

"Yes! We went to Qiupu to climb Mount Jiuhua for three days, but unfortunately we could not climb down the mountain until we were halfway up. The top of the mountain was covered with mist and clouds, and we saw cranes. They said that there were gods living on the top of the mountain."

The three young ladies spoke in a serious manner and everyone laughed.

At this time, a voice came from outside, "Where do you think is the most fun?"

The three girls jumped up together, "Daddy is here!"

The three of them ran out together and hugged their father's arm.

"Dad, Suzhou is the most fun, Hangzhou is also fun, and Qiupu, we like it very much!"

The three of them entered the room, and Dugu Xinyue stood up in surprise, "Why did my husband come back at noon?"

"I heard that the three babies are back, so of course I have to come and see them."

Pei Sanniang snorted heavily, "When your son came back at noon, didn't you come back to see him?"

Li Tan was startled and quickly whispered, "Grandma, don't blame Dad!"

Pei Sanniang was furious and her face was gloomy. Li Ye saw that his mother was unhappy, so he smiled and asked, "What's wrong with you today, mother?"

"Come out with me!"

Pei Sanniang walked out with her son. Dugu Xinyue watched the mother and son leave, smiled bitterly, and said to everyone, "Let's go prepare lunch!"

Since my husband is back at noon, we must sit together and have lunch.

Pei Sanniang brought her son to a pavilion and asked coldly, "I heard you have a son in the Western Regions?"

Li Ye was startled, "Xinyue said that?"

"Don't worry about who said it, just say yes or no?"

Li Ye nodded, "It is true. I just found out about it."

"What are you going to do with you?"

"Let the child come back first. I'll take a look at him, and then I'll send him to Imperial College to study."

"You are really a sinner. You left mother and son out for so many years without paying any attention to them, just like I did back then. You are the emperor of the Tang Dynasty!"

"Mother! I just found out about this too! Besides, Jin Shanling is the leader of the Saint Maiden Society. She is like an empress in Sogdia. They haven't suffered much, so they can't compare to mother."

"We'll talk about this after my grandson comes back. You have to train him well and let him receive Han education!"

"I know, I'll make arrangements!"

At this time, three young ladies came running over and pulled their grandmother, saying, "Grandma, it's time to eat, Daddy, hurry up!"

"Hey! My three good babies."

Pei Sanniang immediately smiled and followed her three granddaughters.

(End of this chapter)